Espy
by Hikoru Aniki
Summary: Talysse Surana always wins. Always.   Character swap with Nenalata


Talysse strode down the hallway of Arl Eamon's Denerim estate with slow, measured footsteps. Her gaze was fixed forward, but she could feel the prickling sensation of the stares. She forced her chin up higher, in almost a defiant gesture. Let them look; she was famous now, wasn't she? The elven woman allowed a slight smile at the irony of those words. Talysse Surana, famous. Well, it wasn't every day that an elven mage became one of the last surviving Grey Wardens.

She exhaled slowly as she turned at the end of the hall. The room she entered was spacious and comfortable-looking; lamps lit all corners with a soft golden glow. Talysse surveyed it once, her thin lips curving ever so slightly downward. It was empty, unexpected, but the woman was sure that it had been disturbed since her last visit. "For all of his talk of enjoying these accommodations…" she mumbled, executing a quick turn. Talysse stole a glance in the mirror before stealing out of the room, reassuring herself that her makeup and hair still looked pristine. After all, she justified to herself, she had to look pristine and unruffled, for her position's sake, of course.

The elf was mildly put out that he would choose such a location to wander. It wasn't as though she was all too familiar with the layout of the castle, and while she could ask a servant, they would likely stare or ask intrusive questions. And if she was lucky, she could stumble across him all on her own.

It took about half an hour of wandering identical stone hallways, turning randomly when the mood took her, for Talysse to decide that she should stop. She was not _lost_, per se, just…not finding anything. She resolved to wander for only a few more minutes and if she didn't recognize anything then she would ask for directions.

Talysse decided that she was really bad with self-promises. She had long since given up on a real search and had switched over to random exploration of promising-looking rooms in hopes that she would eventually stumble upon him. Thus far she had found a large quantity of empty rooms, and two servants sneaking off to find a bit of privacy. It had been rather amusing, watching fear and trepidation war in their expressions. She shook her head softly at the remembrance.

Looking around, Talysse saw a familiar wall hanging. Moving closer to inspect it, she found that it was near the entrance to the estate. She heaved a sigh of annoyance, taking familiar turns until she reached the front entrance. If she was going to be looking, she might as well do it outside. Night had fallen quite some time ago, but she figured that he wouldn't have gone too far if he had bothered to venture outside.

And besides, the halls were more than boring to the elf after a solid hour of wandering.

Talysse graced the soldiers by the door with a courteous smile as the hefted open the great doors to allow her exit. She decided that she rather liked soldiers- the ones on her side, anyway. They always were quick to assist her, and they never saw fit to prattle on about boring things like the servants. She swept past them in a fairly cheerful mood after her assessment. The night air brushed against her face, several degrees cooler than the air inside. Faint yells could be heard from somewhere beyond the market district, breaking the calm night. She crossed the front of the building, looking futilely for a path on the side of the house. Giving up, she stepped onto the grass before her. Lanterns lit the yard at intervals, leaving deep shadows in between, but a Grey Warden did not fear such petty issues.

Talysse strode boldly along the side of the house, inhaling deeply at the scent of the bushes lining the perimeter. She couldn't believe that she missed camp, sleeping on the hard ground. Although that could have to do with the company…Her mouth turned briefly to a scowl as she remembered her mission. She spat a few mild curses under her breath. This was getting to be a lot of trouble. She considered going back to either of their rooms and waiting for him to show up, but that would feel like defeat. And Talysse Surana never lost. Ever.

She had passed her third lantern before she heard anything. The noise from the city had died down until it was only the occasional yell that split the night air. There was a soft rustle to her left, and she slowed, one foot poised above the earth. In the next second there were arms wrapped around her midsection, and she could feel light breathing above her right ear. Talysse relaxed into the hold.

"You've been a right pain to find, do you know that?" she demanded crossly, making no move to turn and face him. Light, amused shook them both ever so slightly.

"Searching for me, my dear Warden?" an accented voice replied. Talysse could hear the smile in his words. She turned around in an attempt to fix him with an icy stare, but she faltered under the sight of the elf in well-tailored, fairly expensive-looking clothes. Come to think of it…Talysse believed that it was the first time she had seen him in something other than armor. A grin stole across her face. Or nothing at all.

The Antivan studied her face while she scrutinized his attire. "Quite nice, no?" he asked, looking down to admire his own finery. "I must say, it is a nice change after the constant feel of dirt in armor. I am a man of luxury, after all."

"Absolutely," Talysse commented dryly, looping her hand through his. She tugged gently to move him out of the faint glow cast by a lantern into the semi-darkness. The elf could just barely make out her companion's face, his eyes never once leaving her figure. "Is it soft?" she asked, placing her hand on the man's hip, where she was well aware he had a tattoo tracing the contour. She watched his face for the reaction she knew would follow and allowed it to slip slightly downward.

She wasn't disappointed. Talysse could have sworn that his eyes turned a few shades darker, his full mouth tilting upwards as he moved closer so that she could feel his body radiating heat.

"I can think of a few things slightly softer," he began. "A feather bed, perhaps? I have a rather lovely one that has been waiting for me just inside the castle. I would be more than happy to illustrate its superiority if you wish."

Talysse smirked. "That sounds as though it could be enjoyable, Zev. Would you like to lead the way?"

The other elf smiled with satisfaction. "Why certainly, my dear."


End file.
